Karabiner Elements not working on Monterey

[MarcoSero]

I have upgraded to Monterey and Karabiner Elements is no longer working. Everything seems to be running find but keys are simply not remapped at all.

Mac OS Version: 12.1 Karabiner Elements version: 14.3.0

What I tried:

• [x] Completely uninstalled and reinstalled Karabiner Elements, approving the security alert on install
• [x] Tried both simple and complex modifications
• [x] Tried a different keyboard
• [x] Checked all permissions in Privacy and Security (see below)

I couldn't find anything useful/alarming in the logs either. Attached below

[2022-01-17 08:56:47.353] [info] [grabber] virtual_hid_device_service_client_ virtual_hid_keyboard_ready_response: true
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.372] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.378] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.379] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.387] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.390] [info] [grabber] caps lock is found on USB DEVICE
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.390] [info] [grabber] USB DEVICE (device_id:4294970539) is grabbed.
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.390] [info] [grabber] caps_lock_led_state_manager is started: USB DEVICE
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.391] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.391] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.393] [info] [grabber] caps lock is found on USB Receiver
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.393] [info] [grabber] USB DEVICE (device_id:4294970535) is grabbed.
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.394] [info] [grabber] caps_lock_led_state_manager is started: USB DEVICE
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.394] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.394] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.395] [info] [grabber] USB Receiver (device_id:4294969628) is grabbed.
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.395] [info] [grabber] caps_lock_led_state_manager is started: USB Receiver
[2022-01-17 08:56:47.395] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-17 08:56:49.380] [info] [grabber] hid_event_system_monitor set_caps_lock_delay_override for pqrs.org:Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDKeyboard

[maciejkalis]

Do you have Intel or Silicon CPU?

[MarcoSero]

Do you have Intel or Silicon CPU?

Intel - iMac Pro (2017)

[nicholasRenninger]

I am having the same issue for my Intel - 2019 MacBook Pro 16".

[Q-kil]

I am having the same issue for my M1 - Mac mini

update: 2022-02-23 I can use it now

[dnordberg]

Same 2018 MacBook Pro 15 Monterey 12.1 Karabiner 14.3.0

Log says it failed to open karabiner.json but all modifications seem in place once I open the app.

I've deleted all modifications and added a simple default modification of disabling the Cmd + H command, but it doesn't work. Neither do any other modifications.

The one thing that changed was I was using Mackup to update settings, then updated Dropbox to the beta which moved the folder and messed up some permissions.

On restart, allot of apps were asking for elevated permissions.

However, I've copied the files over so they are no longer symlinked, so not sure what the issue is here.

MacBook-Pro-2:karabiner dan$ ls -lh
total 40
drwx------@  3 dan  staff    96B  3 Apr  2020 assets
drwx------@ 16 dan  staff   512B 28 Jan 16:03 automatic_backups
-rw-------@  1 dan  staff   8.0K 28 Jan 16:13 karabiner.json
-rw-------@  1 dan  staff   8.1K  6 May  2020 karabiner.json.backup

2022-01-28 16:18:31.243] [info] [observer] Karabiner DriverKit VirtualHIDKeyboard 1.6.0 (device_id:4294969869) is observed.
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.255] [error] [grabber] failed to open /Users/dan/.config/karabiner/karabiner.json
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.255] [info] [grabber] core_configuration is updated.
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.258] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] create_virtual_hid_keyboard_io_service_client
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.258] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] io_service_client::async_start
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.259] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] driver_version_ is changed: std::nullopt
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.259] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_keyboard_ready_ is changed: std::nullopt
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.260] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (keyboard) client is added (size: 1)
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.260] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.263] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] driver_version_ is changed: 10600
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.263] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] io_service_client::opened
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.263] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] io_service_client::async_virtual_hid_keyboard_initialize
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.283] [info] [observer] device_id:4294969869 is terminated.
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.287] [info] [observer] rescan devices...
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.287] [info] [observer] matching device:
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.287] [info] [observer]   registry_entry_id: 4294969882
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.287] [info] [observer]   manufacturer: pqrs.org
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.287] [info] [observer]   product: Karabiner DriverKit VirtualHIDKeyboard 1.6.0
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.288] [info] [observer]   vendor_id: 5824
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.288] [info] [observer]   product_id: 10203
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.288] [info] [observer]   location_id: 0x0
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.288] [info] [observer]   serial_number: pqrs.org:Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDKeyboard
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.290] [info] [grabber] hid_event_system_monitor set_caps_lock_delay_override for pqrs.org:Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDKeyboard
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.313] [info] [observer]   is_keyboard: true
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.351] [info] [observer]   is_pointing_device: false
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.364] [info] [observer] rescan devices...
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.387] [info] [observer] Karabiner DriverKit VirtualHIDKeyboard 1.6.0 (device_id:4294969882) is observed.
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.405] [info] [console_user_server] Check for updates...
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.679] [info] [grabber] `system_preferences` is updated.
[2022-01-28 16:18:31.915] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_keyboard_ready_ is changed: true
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.362] [warning] [grabber] virtual_hid_keyboard is not ready. Please wait for a while.
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.363] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.375] [info] [grabber] caps lock is found on Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.377] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.421] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.678] [info] [grabber] virtual_hid_device_service_client_ virtual_hid_keyboard_ready_response: true
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.683] [info] [grabber] Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad (device_id:4294968948) is grabbed.
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.683] [info] [grabber] caps_lock_led_state_manager is started: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.683] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.687] [info] [grabber] TouchBarUserDevice (device_id:4294969280) is grabbed.
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.687] [info] [grabber] caps_lock_led_state_manager is started: TouchBarUserDevice
[2022-01-28 16:18:32.687] [info] [virtual_hid_device_service] virtual_hid_device_service_clients_manager (pointing) client is removed (size: 0)

[Alex-Just]

@dnordberg can confirm that it's caused by the mackup+dropbox integration. I was able to fix it by removing the file link, removing the ~/.config/karabiner folder, and reinstalling karabiner. Not sure what was the exact issue but that did the trick

[lambainsaan]

@dnordberg can confirm that it's caused by the mackup+dropbox integration. I was able to fix it by removing the file link, removing the ~/.config/karabiner folder, and reinstalling karabiner. Not sure what was the exact issue but that did the trick

This worked, I had a link to the config folder that I had put in one drive, but after removing the link and restarting karabiner it started working properly. I had denied access to one drive when I updated my mac to Monetery, because I thought why would it need access to my drive, and looks like that caused the issue.

[mgiu96411]

Hey guys! Would love some assistance. I don't know what mackup is but I did download a Dropbox Beta + 12.3 Monterey update and my Karabiner complex modification stopped working.

I don't know programming so I tried what I could. I moved the .config folder to my desktop (to save the modification which was hard to find on the internet), deleted Karabiner and reinstalled. Then moved the folder back and tried doing a symlink (googling how): ln -s ~/.config/karabiner ~/.config ln: /Users/giusse/.config/karabiner: File exists

So I tried removing it: rm ~/.config/karabiner rm: /Users/giusse/.config/karabiner: is a directory

Then I tried this and different path variations rm /.config/karabiner rm: /.config/karabiner: No such file or directory. I don't know what to do.

Btw, the complex modification is to map my mouse's side buttons to copy (button 5) and paste (button 4). It makes my job 1000x easier and I'm having a very hard time now.

Thanks in advance!

[mgiu96411]

Hello again! I've realized that my issue isn't the symlink. A third part of the complex modification is that clicking the scroll wheel acts like cmd+shift+4, and that works. However, the side buttons on the mouse aren't being registered in Karabiner EventViewer. It's like my Mac can't see that they exist after the latest update. Any ideas?

[0x3333]

My issue was that karabiner_grabber needed full disk access because I have my configuration folder symlinked.

[mgiu96411]

Hey! Thanks for the reply. I gave it full disk access already and that has not worked. Besides, the third part of the modification works. The problem is recognizing the two non-conventional side buttons.

[fk1blow]

Had karabiner installed since big sur, then upgraded to monterey and it kept working. Transitioned to a new mac with monterey preinstalled - karabiner wouldn't work(no matter the permissions). After openening the Karabiner event viewer and set the permissions(for it, specifically), karabiner elements started to work.

tl;dr open up karabiner event viewer, give the permissions (inside privacy, when and if asked), karabiner-elements may work!

[vienthuong]

Same issue on Monterey on M1 Pro

[Amatson]

Same issue with Ventura 13 M1 Pro Update: Fresh install of Karabiner, tried giving full disk permission. Tried restarting Mac after installing. Event listener shows the original button pressing. Both simple and complex modifications not working at all.

[willbchang]

My issue was that karabiner_grabber needed full disk access because I have my configuration folder symlinked.

I also encountered dropbox symlink problem. This actually solved it.